Fluid-pressure engine.



PATENTBD AUG. 11, 1903.

M. N. FORNEY` FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLIOATIOI PILEI) AUG. 8. 1902.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.,

NO MODEL nw A INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY' nn: Nonas ?arms co, Pnmaumov. wunmowu, o. c.

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.

M. N. FORNEY.

FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

APPLIOATION PILED AUG. 8, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL;

WITNESSES ATTORNEY I PATENTED AUG. 11, 19o3.`

M. FORNEY. PLUID PRESSURB ENGINB.

APPLIOATION PILED AUG. B, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL WITNESSES ATTORNEY THE NcRRs pzrsns co. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. cv

" UNITED STATES Patented August 11 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FLUID-PRESSURE ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 735,*741, dated August 11, 1903.

Application filed August 8,1902. Serial No. 118.969. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it muy concrm Be it known that I, MATTHIAS N. FRNEY,

'of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Engines, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My present invention is an improvement on that set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 489,6 48, granted and issued to me under date of January 10, 1893, and is more particularly designed for application to compound steam-engines, but is applicable to other fiuid-pressure and to binary engines which are not compound; and its object is to facilitate and further improve the means whereby the reciprocating elements of engines of such character are made to counterbalance each other bya more convenient disposition of their parts, which results in a reduction of cost of the engines, and, further,

by locating one cylinder within the other, so"

that the axes of the two cylinders are coincident. The c'enters of gravity of their two pistons then both traverse this axis, and thus the disturbing action caused by their movement in two different planes is avoided.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the compound engine set forth in Letters Patent No. %9,648 aforesaid the piston-rod of the low-pressure cylinder is directly connected to what is termed a primary lever,`

which is in turn articulated to a pair of secondary levers, which oscillate in journals or trunnions supported in fixed bearings, the system of levers forming a parallel motion which constrains the piston-rod to move in a straight line. In this Construction the axes of the journals or trunnions of the secondary levers are in a plane which coincides With the a-Xis of one of the cylinders, which is the line in which the center of its piston-rod moves. The piston-rod of the high-pressure piston'is connected to the lower end of the secondary lever; but as these move in a path which is an arc ofacircle to secure rectilineal movement of this piston-rod it requires-to be and is shown as connected to the levers by means of a guide, cross-head, and short links. The other two cylinders are located with their aXes in two planes some distance apart, and

other, the outer one surrounding the inner one. The piston-rods of each cylinder are then connected to separate prinary level-s which are articulated to opposite ends of a pair of secondary levers, so that all the piston-rods are constrained to move in straight lines. By this means the guides, cross-head, and short connecting-links of Patent No.

&89,648 are wholly dispensed with, and as the Centers of gravity of the two pistons move in the same line no turning action orconsequent disturbance is exerted the'eby.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is' a vertical transverse central section through a Vertical two-cylinder compound engine of the overhead marine type, illustrating an embodiment of my invention, the cylinders being located one within another about a common axis; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal central section throughthe same; and Fig. 3, a horizontal section on the line c d of Figs. 1 and 2, the oscillatinglevers being shown in a horizontal position and in elevation in Fig. 3.

The drawings illustrate the application of my invention in a compound engine of the vertical overhead marine type, although it will be obvious that the cylinders may be 10- cated horizontally or in an inclined position, if desired. It will be understood, as has already been explained, that if the pistons of two cylinders which are in different planes are connected to a system of oscillating levers, so that the pistons move in relatively opposite directions, their opposite movements Will exert a turning action on the mechanism, which is to a certain extend a 'source of disturbance. This may to a very considerable eXtent be compensated by the employment of a supplemental counter-weight, as se t'forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 70l,4:77, granted and issued to me under date of June 3, 1902, but can be completely eliminated by the construction herein shown, in which the high-pressure cylinder l is surrounded by an annular low-pressure cylinder TOO 1, the axes of the two cylinders bcing'therefore coincident. The centers of gravity of the pistons consequently traverse in the same straight line, and therefore when noving in opposite directions they do not exert any turning action on the nechanism or produce the disturbance before referred to. In order that the pistons may move in opposite directions, they are connected with the connecting-rod and crank-pin through the intermediation of an oscillating-lever system, the detailed features of which mechanism will now be explained. The high-pressure cylinder l and the low-pressure cylinder l, which surrounds and axially coincides with the highpressure cylinder, are Secured to housings or standards 55, fixed upon a bed-plate 56,

which supports the main hearing of the crank-shaft 19 of the engine. The high-pressure cylinder is fitted with a piston 2 of the nsual form, which is fixed upon a piston-rod 3, to the outer end of which is secured a forked head 48, which is coupled byapin 15 to the inner arms of a pair of primary levers 7 7, these being two parallel lever-bars. The outer arms of the primary levers 7 7 are coupled by a pin 9 to a pair of radios-links ll ll, the opposite ends of which are coupled to a pin 10, fixed to the low-pressure cylinder. The low-pressure cylinder 1 is fitted With an annular piston 2, which is fixed upon two piston-rods 3 3, projecting through suitable stulfing-boxes and having their outer ends coupled by pins 15 15 to the inner arms of a pair of second primary levers 7 7. The outer arms of the second primary levers 7 are, similarly to those of the primary levers 7, coupled by a pin 9 toa pair of radios-links ll 11 the opposite ends of which are coupled to a pin 10 fixed to the low-pressure cylinder. The primarylevers 7 and second primary levers 7 are coupled intermediately of their ends to a pair of secondary levers S 8, which are parallel lever-bars having central journals 13 fitting in fixed bearings 14, the swiveling connection of the secondary levers to the primary levers 7 being efifected by a pin 12 and that to the second primary levers by a pin l2. The main connectingrod 4 is coupled at its upper end to the forked head 48 of the high-pressure piston-rod and to the primary levers 7 by the pin 1, and its lower end is coupled to the crank-pin 18 of the crank-shaft 19.

The operation of the high-pressu re piston, piston-red, and connecting-rod is similar to that of the corresponding parts in engines of the ordinary construction; but the pistonrods are constrained to move in straight lines by the system of oscillating levers, which constitutes a parallel motion. The low-pressure piston being connected by its two piston-rods to the second primary levers 7 the pressure exerted upon it is transmitted by said levers to the secondary levers 8 8, and by them to the primary levers 7 7, and thence to the forked head 48, connecting-rod 4, and

crank-pin 18. The levers are so proportioned that the inner ends of the primary levers and second primary levers move in substantially straight lines, and these levers serve as guides for the piston-rods of both the high and the low pressure cylinders.

The inner high-pressure cylinder l is made separate from the outer low-pressure cylinder 1 and is attached to the lower cylinderhead 49 by a fiange 52. In order to allow for expansion and contraction and any unequal length of the two cylinders, the inner cylinder is attached to the upper cylinder-head 49 by a joint provided with packing 50, which allows the inner cylinder to move lengthwise independent of the outecylinder and its head. The head 51 of the inner cylinder has a ring 53 formed on its under side, which acts as a gland to compress the packing 50, and thns makes a steam-tight joint between the inside cylinder and the cylinder-head 49.

The means for admitting motive fluid to the central high-pressure cylinder and conducting it thence to the low-pressu re cylinder after it has exerted its pressure on the highpressure piston and finally exhausting it from the low-pressure cylinder after it has been expanded and done its work therein consists in valves and ports and passages of special Construction. These constitute the subjectmatter of a separate application filed by me 'of even date herewith, Serial No. 118,970.

An annular supply-passage 20 is formed around the outside of the low-pressure cylinder 1, said passage communicating directly and continuously with the supply-pipe 20% leading from the source of fluid-pressure and having at its ends supply-ports 2l 2l, which open into the low pressure cylinder, but which are continuously cut off from communication therewith by valves. (Not shown in the drawings.) The supply-passage entirely surrounds the low-pressure cylinder; but the IIO ports where they enter the cylinder havebridges uniting their two sides. The inner and outer walls of the supply-passage are united by connecting-pieces cast therein. An annular eXhaust-passage 23 is formed around the outside of the su pply-passage 20, said passage communicating directly and continuously with the exhaust-ppe 23 and subject to the control of valves com municating with the low-pressure cylinder by ports 24 24:' at the ends of said cylinder. Communication between the supply-passage 20 and the high- .pressure cylinder 1 and between the highexactly balance that of the other if they are of equal weight. r

The form of engine illustrated While more particularly designed for marine or stationary purposes may obviously be applied to use in locomotive-en gines or automobiles Without variation of its operative principle.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a fluid-pressre engine, the combination of a pair of cylinders located one within the other, a piston and piston-rod in the inner cylinder, an annular piston and a pair of piston-rods in the outer cylinder, means for constraining the movement of the two pistons in opposite directions to each other, a driving-shaft, a crank thereon, and a main rod coupled at one end to said crank and at the other to the piston-rods of the inner and'outer cylinders.

2. In a fiuid-pressure engine, the combination of a pair of cylinders located one within the other, a piston and piston-rod in the inner cylinder, an annular piston and a pair of piston-rods in the outer cylinder, a system of oscillatng levers forming parallel motions, connected to the piston-rods and adapted to constrain the piston-rods of the inner and outer cylinders to move in straight lines and in relatively opposite directions, a drivingshaft, a crank thereon, and' a main rod connecting the oscillating-lever system With the crank.

3. In a fluid-pressure engine, the combination of a pair of cylinders located one within the other, a piston and piston-rod in the inner cylinder, an annular piston and a pair of piston-rods in the outer cylinder, a system of oscillating levers comprising a primary lever articnlated, at one end, to the piston-rod of the inner cylinder and having a movable fulcrnm at its opposite end, a pair of primary levers articulated, at one end, to the pistonrods of the outer cylinder and having movable fulcrums at their outer ends, and secondary levers, articulated to the primary levers, and journaled centrally in fixed bearings, a driving-shaft, a crank thereof, and a main rod connecting the oscillating-lever system with the crank. i

4. In a fiuid-pressnre engine, the combination .of a pair of cylinders located one within the other, a piston and piston-rod in theinner cylinder, an annular piston and a pair of piston-rods in theouter cylinder, a primary lever articnlated at one end to the piston-rod of the innercylinder, a radial link coupled to said primary lever and to a fixed pivot, a pair of primary levers articulated at one end to the piston-rods of the outer cylinder, radial.

links coupled to said primary levers and to a fixed'pivot, secondary levers, articulated to the primary levers, and journaled centrally in fixed bearings, a driving-shaft, a crank thereon, and a main rod connecting the oscillating-lever system with the crank.

5. In a fluid-pressnre engine, the combination of an outer inclosing cylinder, an inner cylinder separate therefrom and detachably connected to one of the heads thereof, an opposite head closing the outer cylinder, a head ciosing the inner cylinder, a packed joint betWeen the heads and the inner cylinder, a piston and piston-rod in the inner cylinder, an annular piston and a pair of piston-rods in the outer cylinder, a system of oscillating levers forming parallel motions, connected to the piston-rods and adapted to constrain the piston-rods of the inner and outer cylinders to move in straight lines and in relatively opposite directions, a driving-shaft, a crank thereon, and a main rod connecting the oscillating-lever system with the crank.

MATTHIAS N. FORNEY. 

